Knesset Upholds Ben Gurion on Playing the “star Spangled Banner”

The Israel Parliament decided last night that no insult to Israel was involved in the playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” before natikcah when the orchestra at the recent dedication of the Frederick Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv played both the American and the Israeli national anthems.

A motion to reprimand Premier David Ben Gurion, charged with responsibility for the insult to President Ben Zvi who was in the audience when the anthems were played was moved by Communist deputies. It was turned down. The Premier, who caustically referred to the “super-patriotism” of the Communists, held that on such occasions it was customary to play the foreign anthem first.